Method of forming buttons



April 15, 1924. 1,490,497

F. R. WHITE METHOD OF FORMING BUTTONS Filed Aug. 10. 1922 1 mvmroa Frannun1a.wniae A TTORNEYJ relates,

li atented Apr. 15, 124.

FRANKLIN B1. WHITE, '01? WATEBBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE PATENT BUTTON COANY, F WATERBURY, NECTIC'UT.

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- nrn'rnon or FORMING BUTTONS.

Application filed August 10, 1922. Serial No. 580,879.

To all whom it marl concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN R. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Forming Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a button and particularly to the fiat or disc-like type ordinarily spoken of as a sewed-on button, and the object of the present invention is to provide a novel method whereby buttons of this class may be economically produced in large quantities and with a resulting minimum amount of scrap.

A further object is to provide a method for producing buttons from: sheet metal wherein the button will be partially blanked but still retained in the sheet metal by a very thin in or web and the sheet metal will act to carry the partially blanked button along through the successive operations and stages, and multiple or gang pressers used which when equipped with automatic indexing features will provide for a very high rate of output and a very low or economical production cost.

A i'nrther object is to provide a method of forming a sewed-on button wherein the completed button when stamped from the sheet metal stock will have little or no burr or fin lei't attached thereto, and with the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel method of forming or manufacturing a button of the type illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described and claimed, and in such variations and modi-- fications thereof as will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention it being understood that changes may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit thereof.

The button as produced by my novel method is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in transverse section showing the sheet metal after being subjected to the first operation and showing the first-stage blank;

Figure 2 is a similar view after the second or piercing operation and showing what is termed the second-stage blank;

Figure 3 in a similar manner shows the third-stage blank, and Figure 4 illustrates the completed or fourth-stage blank being severed from the sheet or stock metal;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the completed button; and

Figure 6 is a View in side elevation taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Referring specifically to the several views, wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout, the stock 10 is formed or composed of any desirable sheet metal in accordance with the ultimate characteristic which the button is to possess, and is of standard or uniform thickeness, and in such form is subjected to the action of blanking or stamping dies (not shown), whereupon the metal of the stock 10 is caused to form a circular rim 11 connected to the surrounding portion of the stock 10 by a thin web or fin 12.

The metal immediately adjacent the rim 11 is caused to flow toward the center or hub 13 of the blank and in so doing leaves a relatively thin flange 14, which preferably tapers in cross-section, as shown in Figure 1, and increases at the point where it joins the materially thickened hub or central portion 13 of the first-stage blank as illustrated in Figure 1.

The strip in which the first-stage blank is thus formed is then subjected to the action of a second pair of dies (not shown) and the holes or openings 15 are pierced within the hub, as illustrated in Figure 2. The second-stage blank is then passed beneath a third set of dies (not shown), being aided or indexed by means of the stock metal 10 to which it is still joined by the fin 12, and the openings 15 are countersunk as at 16, as illustrated in Figure 3. The third-stage blank is then to all intents and purposes a completed button but still joined to the stock metal 10 by the thin web or fin. The third-stage blank is then passed beneath suitable cutting dies (not shown) and the button A, as illustrated in Figure 4, is out or severed from the stock 10, the thin web or fin, due to its limited thickness, being cut cleanly from the button so as not to leave any burr; or should any burr be thus formed it will be of such small size as may be easily and readily removed.

The completed button as resulting from the fourth operation is illustrated in Figures 5 and and is of a thick circular rim 11 of substantially accordingly composed the same thickness as the thickness or" the sheet metal stock 10. A flange 14: is joined to the rim and is materially thinner than the same, as the metal originally contained in this portion of the sheet metal stock has been forced or flowed inwardly to form the thickened hub 13. The hub is not only thickened but also projects or is offset be low the flange 14 so as to hold the rim of the button above and away from the garment to which it will be ultimately secured.

With the method as thus outlined, it will be readily appreciated that multiple or gang dies may be used having automatic indexing features thereon whereby the various stage blanks are automatically moved along, and the metal buttons will be produced in large quantities with very little labor and with a minimum amount of scrap; further, that the buttons produced will be light in weight, rigid and strong in structure, and will have little or no burrs at tached thereto. Further, it is pointed out that the buttons, after having been thus blanked and formed, may be enameled, lac quered, dipped, or in other ways treated to produce any desired finish, and thus can be made to imitate ivory buttons or may be made to possess characteristic appearances of their own.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The method of forming a button consisting in subjecting sheet metal to the action of blanking dies and causing to be formed a first-stage blank composed of a rim connected to the sheet metal stock by a thin fin and with the metal adjacent said rim flowed inwardly and forming a thickened central hub, subjecting said first-stage blank to the action of suitable dies and meager thereby forming thread receiving openings through said hub, and severing the blank thus formed from the sheet metal stock.

2. The method of forming a button consisting in subjecting sheet metal to the action of dies and causing to be formed a first-stage blank composed of a rim of practically the same thickness as the sheet metal stock and attached to the sheet metal stock by a thin. fin, and with the metal adjacent the rim flowed or moved inwardly to form a thickened central portion connected to the rim by a relatively thin web, subjecting the thickened central portion of the first-stage blank to the action of piercing and counter-sinking dies, and severing the blank as thus formed from the sheet metal stock.

3. The method of forming a button consisting in subjecting sheet metal to the action of dies and causing to be formed a first-stage blank composed of a rim of practically the same thickness as the sheet metal stock and attached to the sheet metal stock by a thin fin, and with the metal adjacent the rim flowed or moved inwardly to form a thickened central portion connected to the rim by a relativel Y thin web, moving the first-stage blank along by the stock to which it is connected and subjecting the thickened hub to the action of piercing and countersinking dies and again moving the blank as thus formed by means of the attached stock beneath suitable severing dies and severing the relatively thin fin connecting the blank to the stock.

Signed at l Vaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, this fourth day of August, A. D. 1922.

FRANKLIN R. WHITE.

Witnesses E. M. MORTON, L. Sues. 

